Middle Bit: Google awards $175,000 to five Iowa nonprofits

(Photo courtesy of Google).

Google announced this week the five Iowa nonprofits that will each receive $175,000 through the company’s Impact Challenge Iowa program.

Of the five winners, one nonprofit will win an additional $125,000 decided by public votes. The public will then have a chance to vote for their favorite idea. The organization that receives the most votes by August 30 will get an additional $125,000 in funding.

HomePainter receives $25,000 from IEDA

HomePainter has been awarded a $25,000 Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR) loan from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board for product refinement, market planning and key personnel.

“We’re beyond thrilled and grateful to have been awarded this POCR loan,” said McClarnon in an announcement. “Since its 2018 launch, HomePainter has built a lot of momentum. This POCR loan will allow us to proceed on that upward path at a high intensity as we continue to beta-test and fine-tune our quoting algorithm, meet sales and financial goals, convert part-time software developers into full-time employees and hire key personnel.”

McClarnon said the continuum of support received from the IEDA has been “highly beneficial to his fledgling business.”

HomePainter participated in the IEDA’s Iowa Student Internship Program, which provided a grant allowing the company to hire student interns. “It’s a job-creating program that at the same time helps small businesses like ours financially through wage-sharing. The program enabled us to hire the workers we needed to help us build our platform,” McClarnon said.